Penny-wise, pound-brilliant party tips from Events Planner Brian William Armstrong of William Entertainment.

If there's one thing Hollywood has plenty of, it's top-notch Event Planners - who else to make sure those important movie premieres and black-tie fundraisers go smoothly? What sets Brian William Armstrong apart from most planners is his training. Armstrong not only knows how to round up the right chefs, servers, florists and bartenders for an event, he also understands how an event - be it a casual dinner party for eight or a formal affair for 800 - should "flow", the best way to greet people, the best way to seat people, and the importance of timing and setting a mood. That's because Armstrong's not just a professional event producer, he's also a formally trained butler, with an encyclopedic knowledge ranging from the proper attire for any occasion to where to place an oyster fork (to the right of the setting) and how to seat guests according to the rules of protocol. All of which left Armstrong, after years of personally looking after some of Hollywood's heaviest hitters in some of the city's most glamorous households, uniquely positioned when he branched off to focus exclusively on Hollywood's entertaining needs.

His extensive knowledge of traditional etiquette and good form as well as his experience living in modern-day Southern California enables him to produce events known for their grace as well as their groove.

"I still stick to the Butler Motto," he explains. "Enough is never enough; more than enough is enough," meaning that when it comes to entertaining, especially in tight-money times like these, it's better to think a bit more than spend a bit more. "It's better to do something simple flawlessly than to try and pull off something complicated that strains your resources and your patience," he observes. "No one has fun, least of all you. And it really is about having a good time." With that in mind, Armstrong shares with Restless readers his tips on how to put an unforgettable gathering together on a forgettable budget.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Day
Think about the time you select for your event. If you're partying on pennies, you'll want to avoid lunch or dinner times as your guests will naturally expect a full meal. Instead pick times before or after a meal and develop a creative theme for your event such as a "The Naughty List Late Night Dessert Party". Your guests will be intrigued and understand that they shouldn't come starving.

Make a List and Check it Twice
When shopping for a party, flexibility is key. Before you buy, walk through your local discount, bulk and Mom & Pop stores and take note of good deals. Once you've been inspired by discounts, plan your décor and menu, write a list and stick to it. Don't be afraid of non-brand name items. Once it's out of the package and mixed with your other party goods, no one will ever know the difference.

It's All In the Wrapping
Have you ever watched a small child open a gift only to ignore the expensive toy in favor of the box that it came in? The same principle applies to party foods. Your eyes are just as important as your stomach when determining taste, so don't ignore your presentation style. Break out the wedding china or pick up pretty platters at thrift stores and garage sales. Non-brand liquor in beautiful glass decanters and take-out pizza cut into delicate squares can turn Common and Affordable into Elegant and Chic.

On Comet, On Cupid, On... Décor?
There's no need for expensive decorations to set a holiday mood. First rearrange furniture to allow your guests to converse and mingle. Then give your space a good scrubbing (note: make sure to do this after you move the furniture - you never know what surprises you may find under the couch). Dim the lights or replace fixtures with inexpensive colored bulbs. Sprinkle candles and tea lights throughout the house to create a romantic glow. Warm a pot mixed with water and vanilla or cinnamon to fill your home with the inviting scents of the holidays. Then turn on your favorite music mix and you have an instant party setting. If you want a bit more, focus on one "statement" centerpiece. You'll get more mileage out of one gorgeous arrangement of nutcrackers, vintage toys, or empty boxes exquisitely wrapped than a few decorations spread thinly throughout the house.

Ho-Ho-Hosting
Be an excellent host. This won't cost you anything but some preparation time. Pre-mix pitchers of drinks and prepare replacement platters of food. Set out extra silverware and glasses. Empty trashcans and stock the bathroom with easily accessible common items like extra toilet tissue and hand towels. This way you won't be distracted by little items or bogged down in the kitchen and can focus on socializing with your guests. Your guests will take their behavior cues from you so make sure to keep the drinks flowing, the conversation lively and enjoy yourself. You've earned it!

Philanthropy has a sexy new face...

Wear the skimpy costume for the cover? Please? I'll be your best friend!

Clad (or is it gift-wrapped) in head-to-toe Versace, Rory Gleason sweeps into her cavernous living room and greets visitors with an enormous whoop she no doubt perfected as head cheerleader for Alba High School Hurricanes in her hometown of Bayou La Batre, Alabama.

"If you want to say it like a local, it's 'BI-yo,'" she points out, thus saving non-locals the humiliation of mangling the pronunciation of yet another Gulf Coast noun. "I think the linguistics of the region have a lot to do with the fact that it was settled by the French and the Spanish, changing hands between the two several times that accounts not only for preponderance of French and Spanish names, but also the odd pronunciations," she explains. "For instance, most English-speakers would say 'PE-can,' whereas we would 'p-CAWN,' and Biloxi is 'b-LUX-ee.'

She throws back her head and laughs, and then looks you straight in the eye and deadpans "Please, stop me when I get off on a tangent."

We think not, as Gleason's life - on paper, at least - appears to be one long string of (mostly lucky) tangents starting with winning the title of 'Miss Seafood' at age 16.

"I do not come from Southern gentility," she explains. "I grew up knowing how to seine for shrimp and tong for oysters, two odious jobs if ever" she points out. "My dad was a fisherman, so it was expected that I would pitch in and help when needed. I was popular in high school, but I like to think it was because I was a nice person to everyone and gave 100 percent to everything I did."

"There were prettier girls in my town and certainly ones from better families," she observes. "And the only reason I entered the Miss Seafood pageant was on a bet - not that I would win, but that I would enter and complete it. You could have knocked me over when I won."

Does she still have her sash?
"I do, but you'll never find it," she replies. "No one will ever know which year I reigned - at least not if I can help it," she says with a smile.

A mental picture, Rory in Dior, dripping with jewels, shod in Blahnik, greeting her good friend, French First Lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy, at an official reception in Paris, her outfit finished off with a 'Miss Seafood' sash is hard to resist.

"For me, the point in winning wasn't 'Oh, I'm pretty' or 'Oh, they like me'' or even 'I'm going to ride the pageant circuit as far as I can,'"says Gleason, crossing a leg. "The point was, 'I never thought of myself this way. Maybe other people see something I don't. Maybe I need to broaden my horizons a bit.'"

She has certainly done that - turning a degree from Boston's prestigious School of the Museum of Fine Arts into a high-energy career as an art consultant, jetting all over the world advising museums as well as private collectors on what to look at and what to buy.

She met her husband, wealthy Russian luxury retailer Boris Dinesovich in the course of her travels. "He is, if you would pardon the expression, the classic Russian oligarch," she explains. "Although, unlike some of his contemporaries, he has never killed anyone, nor has he run afoul of the authorities - that I know of," she laughs, then shudders.

The two were married in a lavish ceremony in St. Petersburg, (aka Leningrad) five years ago. She laughs "Can I tell you I'm not sure who was less ready for who - the Russians or the Alabamans! But you know, champagne and vodka can work wonders on bridging the cultural divide. Once the toasts began, it was as if everyone had grown up next door to each other."

I speak for all Restless Style readers when I say we are smitten, Ms. Gleason-Dinesovich, utterly smitten.n

All of which leads up to today, which finds her ready for her closeup in her gigantic, funky, art-and-sculpture-festooned grand salon, in a recently-purchased enormous faux chateau built at the turn of the last century on the outskirts of GC and mysteriously abandoned not long after completion.

"My husband thought I was crazy for buying this place, but I said 'Honey, it's in a lovely town, and besides, it's the only place in the U.S. besides Alaska that comes even close to approximating a Moscow winter." She bats her eyes, for emphasis.

"Which means I might actually be able to get him here at least once in the coming months," she adds.

It was a tangent that brought her to GC in the first place, she explains. "I was here to visit my homegirl, Sabrina Castellano," she explains. "We met when she was curating at the Pompidou in Paris. She was just so sweet and passionate about art, I had to have her over. My husband and I just fell in love with her. We were bereft when she told us she was leaving Paris to move to Wisconsin."

The couple maintains homes in Paris, Moscow, London and now, Genoa City. "It had been my plan to surprise Sabrina with my new base of operations," Gleason explains, "but I guess it wasn't in the cards. When Sabrina died, it was like losing a sister. I miss her so."

"Nonetheless, if it hadn't been for her, I would never have discovered Genoa City, it's lovely, and I think it's a perfect North American base of operations for me. I see it as Sabrina's gift to me."

These days, when she's not buying art she spends her time supporting Arts education - particularly in underserved public schools. Last year, the couple donated some $25 million toward various philanthropic projects.

"Schools are really hurting in so many ways," she says. "And people say to me all the time, 'There is so much to be done, why are you focusing your funds and energy on art of all things?' And I say to them 'Look, whether you're making it or experiencing it, art is all about thinking outside the box, experiencing things in a whole new way, or creating a new whole out of old pieces.

What better way to get a child imagining a different life than the one he or she sees around them? What better way to teach a child about process? How you do one thing and get a result, and then you build on that result to get an even bigger result, and then sometimes, you take a step and end up making a mess and you have to start over, but you've learned what doesn't work, which still places you closer to your goal."

Sort of like a collection of tangents?
"Exactly," she answers. "After all, how many Miss Seafoods can there be in any given year?" She lets out a whoop.